A drug dealer who was found with more than £10,000 of dirty money at his home has avoided jail after a judge concluded he had turned his life around.
When police raided Jack Carroll's home on Benchill Road in Wythenshawe on April 9, 2019, officers found cannabis at a number of locations - some of it in the form of strong 'skunk', prosecutor Peter Cadwallader told Manchester Crown Court today (Monday).
Officers found a relatively small amount of the drug - 53 grams of cannabis with a street value of between £390 and £420, the court was told.
But they also found digital scales, cannabis residue indicative of drug dealing and £10,932 in cash - all the proceeds of Carroll's drug dealing.
Carroll, 25, was arrested and when he was interviewed denied drug dealing and insisted the cannabis was for his own use.
The defendant, who had one conviction for criminal damage in 2017 and another for possession of cannabis in 2018, later admitted his crimes.
He initially pleaded not guilty to possession of a class B drug with intent to supply and possession of criminal property, namely the cash found at his house.
But in July he changed his pleas and admitted both offences.
Philip Mahoney, defending, told the court his client 'has moved away from his offending and secured employment'.
Carroll was working six days each week and was training to become an HGV driver, he said.
He had a step-child and his partner was expecting his baby in February, the court was told.
Sparing him jail, Judge Patrick Field QC told the defendant: "I'm not going to send you to prison even though these are offences which would justify you being sent to prison.
"By making the decision that you did aged 23 to get involved in drug dealing you put at risk... your family and your children and you put at risk your liberty."
The judge added: "It's clear to me that in the two-and-a-half years that have passed you have done quite a bit of growing up.
"Although you have previously made very poor decisions you have taken positive steps to turn yourself around and you deserve credit for that - and that credit is that I don't send you to prison straight away."
Carroll was handed a nine month prison sentence suspended for 12 months and was told to carry out 12 days of rehabilitation activity.
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